Brett Lawrie Helps The M’s Attendance

The Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners may have not have playoff aspirations for 2011 – but there’s something special happening in their series, which has been split a game apiece entering tonight’s rubber match.

That something is Brett Lawrie.

He’s hyped as the Toronto Blue Jays’ next superstar – but he’s also a Pacific Northwest kid, having grown up in Langley, British Columbia.

A series at Seattle is the closest Lawrie can get to a true homecoming.

As a result, thousands of supporters from all around Washington state and B.C. have piled into Safeco Field this week.

The Mariners drew more than 28,000 fans Monday, a 4,000-fan spike from their average.

Lawrie has four hits and two RBI over the first two games, raising his average to .385.